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Family Vacation Tensions?

Joan JerkovichMay 29, 2014

How do you deal with a family vacation where part of the family want to lie on the beach all day and the other part want to see the sights? …

and your problem is?? Yes, this is a family vacation where your expectation may be that you spend time together, but do you feel that you have to spend every second of every day together? I’m sure that this rarely happens in your daily lives back home!

You’re on Vaca so try to be flexible, chill, relax, let go, and leave your inner bossy boss at home. Isn’t this why you planned this getaway?

Let each individual enjoy their vacation in their own way. We are not cookie cutter people who all want the same thing even when we are genetically related. The adults can split up for part of the day and let the kids choose whom they’d like to do things with. Older kids will be happy to have some of the same freedom away from you that they enjoy at home.

Don’t sweat it! You will still be spending most of your time together as a family, and people will be happier when they’re not being pushed to do things they don’t want. Personally, I don’t understand why a college kid would want to sit inside watching sports on TV while in Hawaii…but, we left him behind and had a superb day at the beach boogie boarding, snorkeling and swimming with the endangered sea turtles! He enjoyed his day…and so did we!

Embrace your Personal Power with Life Coaching~

• If you don’t want to split up your family activities for the day, what other options for compromise (such as taking turns deciding what activity you get to do) can you employ to keep the peace on vacation?

• Is there a plan for compromise the adults can agree upon before leaving on vacation (that will keep the stress at home)?

• How can you set the tone of the trip for compromise, flexibility and fun?